Meals: Day 5 (also suitable for Diabetics)

Breakfast:

4 links Soy or 2 links turkey sausages 170 calories
1 Hard-boiled egg, whole 70 calories
1 cup (4.5 oz, 134g) Asparagus, spears (steamed or boiled) 35 calories
½ tsp Herbs and Spices**** 5 calories
½ tbl Olive oil 60

12 nuts (½ oz, 14g) Almonds 80 calories
1 cup strawberries 50 calories

Directions:

Cook or heat sausages as directed. Combine Olive oil and herbs/spice mix; sprinkle over egg and sausages. Serve nuts and strawberries on side.

Total breakfast Calories = 470

Lunch:

Shrimp salad:

6oz (170g) Shrimp, raw 170 calories
2 cups shredded cabbage 35 calories
2 cups Green, leafy salad 20 calories
¾ cup onion, chopped 55 calories
1 tbl Olive oil 120 calories
1 tbl vinegar 5 calories
1 tbl lemon juice 5 calories

Directions:

Heat oil in non-stick pan for 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except leafy salad and cabbage, and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Pour mixture over veggies.

Apple Dessert:

1 small Apple 55 calories
6 Macadamia nuts 100 calories
¼ tsp apple-pie spice (nutmeg and cinnamon) 5 calories

Directions:

De-core and halve the apple. Sprinkle spice and serve with nuts.

Total Lunch Calories = 570

Snack:

1 cup non-fat Cottage cheese* 120 calories
1/2 oz, 14g or 6 macadamia nuts 100 calories

Total snack = Calories 220

Dinner:

Ginger Chicken:

3.5oz pre-cooked chicken breast, bnls/sknls, cut into strips 160 calories
1 tbl Olive oil 120 calories
½ oz walnuts 90 calories
2 cups broccoli florets 60 calories
1 cup peas and onions, frozen 50 calories
½ tsp ginger powder 5 calories
¼ cup water

1 large Orange 85 calories

Directions:

Heat oil in a large non-stick pan (medium heat). Add chicken, wait one minute, then add water, veggies, ginger and walnuts. Continue cooking for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring often; add more water if necessary. Have orange for dessert.

Total dinner = Calories 570

For more recipe ideas, visit our low-calorie cookbooks page.

top of page

Notes:

These meals are merely suggestions. Once you become familiar with nutritious, low-Calorie food choices, such as the ones above, menu and meal combinations are endless … so be creative!

* Vegetarians and Vegans
Adequate protein and omega 3 fats may be deficient in vegetarian or vegan diets. Other nutrients which are a bit tricky to get on a totally non-animal diet: vitamin B12 (no, fermented foods & spirulina do not contain it -- supplements are absolutely necessary for vegans and a good idea for the ovo-lacto); calcium, zinc, and iron (vegan iron is both relatively rare and not very bioavailable). It is especially important for veg(etari)ans to put their diets through nutrition software (see "References and Resources" below) to work out exactly how much you're getting of these & other nutrients. When you do your blood work, a ferritin test is especially important for veg(etari)ans. If you do not eat fish (or supplement with its oil), consider a flax supplement. In addition, true vegans are especially vulnerable to protein (amino acid) deficiency. Substitute meat, dairy and egg choices above with suitable vegetable-only protein products (tofu, rice-protein powder, beans, brewers yeast, etc). top of page

** Adding extra Calories
The number of additional Calories will depend on your sex, age, activity level, metabolism and length of time on CR. A good rule-of-thumb:

If you are losing more than 1 pound per week, you may be cutting Calories too fast.

One may add Calories by including extra nuts, olive oil or fruit. Alternatively, Nutrition Snacks*** may added – they are a good choice since one knows exactly how many Calories are in each serving. top of page

*** Nutrition Snacks: Bars, Muffins, Shakes and Mixes
The best Nutrition Snacks are based on recipes developed by others practicing CR. For example, check out Sherm’s Brownies and MegaMuffins as well as Walford’s Beyond The 120 Year Diet. These recipes were developed using nutrition-analysis software.

It is understandable that the convenience of commercial products may be desirable at times. The following products appear to be the least processed of the numerous brands available; they may be found in grocery or health-food stores:

Balance Bar (200 Calories per bar): there are several varieties offered by this brand; all are “Zone” balanced. The Outdoor bar seems best due to better-quality ingredients, least saturated fat and lack of vitamin/mineral fortification (you should be getting plenty from the remainder of your diet; otherwise, take a multivitamin). The Almond Brownie is also acceptable; however, it is fortified.

Nutribiotic ProZone bars and mixes (around 200 Calories per bar or mix serving): There are several varieties offered by this brand; all are “Zone” balanced. Like the Balance Outdoor bar, the ProZone bars and shake mixes contain quality ingredients and are not fortified.

Rebar (160 Calories per bar): Includes high-quality organic vegetable and fruit ingredients. It does not contain protein or fat. If using this product one may add, for example, raw almonds and non-fat yogurt, to “balance” the meal.

Odwalla (210 Calories per bar): Includes organic and/or other high-quality ingredients in their meal-replacement bars. They also make a fruit/soy protein drink. top of page

**** Herbs and Spices
A low-salt, all-in-one spice mix, such as Veg-it or Spike, works well and is convenient.
top of page

Home | What's New | CR Science and Research | CRONies | Links + References | 2000 Poll: By The Numbers Webmastering+Admin